Aggressive Growth: Packaging Corporation (PKG)

Packaging Corporation of America (PKG) recently beat earnings expectations and provided a bullish outlook for the third quarter. Shares and estimates jumped on the news.

Company Description

Packaging Corporation of America makes corrugated packaging products and container board here in the U.S. The company has 4 paper mills and almost 70 plants across the country.

Sales Up 12%

On Jul 19 PCA reported second-quarter results that showed a 12% jump in sales, to $615 million. Net income came in at $38 million, or 38 cents per share, beating the Zacks Consensus by 7 cents.

The CEO had some very encouraging remarks as well. He highlighted production records from the mills and improving costs. Forward looking statements centered on lower costs, higher volumes and improving earnings.

Next years estimates are up 9 cents on average, to $2.22, for a 39% growth rate.

Good Segment

PCA is the top ranked company in its industry, which is currently 23rd out of 264 on the Zacks Industry Rank. Thanks to those upward estimate revisions, shares are also trading at a solid 15 times forward earnings.

The Chart

The stock surged on the earnings release, breakout through the recent level of resistance. PKG is also in a nice trend of setting higher lows and is on its way to pressure the 52-week high.